EVERETT – The Snohomish County Health Department expresses its deepest condolences to friends, family and former colleagues of Mary Selecky, former Washington State Secretary of Health, who passed away last week at age 78.
Selecky served as Secretary of Health from 1999 to 2013, under Governors Gary Locke, Christine Gregoire, and Jay Inslee, making her one of the state’s longest-serving Cabinet members. Her tenure was marked by significant advancements in public health and innovative leadership in the face of multiple public health challenges.
Under her leadership, adult smoking rates fell dramatically, from 22 percent to 15 percent, due in large part to her steadfast advocacy for tobacco prevention and control programs. Additionally, childhood immunization rates saw a remarkable improvement, elevating Washington from 46th to 16th nationally for vaccination rates for children under three.
Selensky was instrumental in developing emergency preparedness plans for natural disasters and other public health threats. Prior to serving at the state level, she dedicated two decades as the administrator of the Northeast Tri County Health District, serving Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry counties.
“Mary’s roots were deeply embedded in local public health,” said Dennis Worsham, director of the Snohomish County Health Department. “She carried that experience into her state role. Before the system rallied around Foundational Public Health Services – she started an ‘advisory’ board made of local health, tribal health, and start partners. She cared about the system and kept the system whole and moving forward.”
Worsham recalled first meeting Selecky in 1999 during a Snohomish County World AIDS Day event, describing her as “an extraordinary storyteller and fiercely passionate about public health.”
Selecky’s influence helped shape public health practices across the state, including in Snohomish County. Her advocacy for robust emergency preparedness and preventative health programs directly filtered down to stronger local health structures. The Snohomish County Health Department continues to benefit from her visionary leadership, ensuring ongoing resilience and responsiveness to public health challenges.
In addition to her work for the state, Selecky was a clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health and a mentor to many, leaving a lasting legacy of leadership and compassion.
Worsham recently spoke with Selecky as she was recovering from a fall, noting, “Even then, her focus remained on public health, generously offering support, coaching, and invaluable advice. Her dedication never wavered.”
Mary Selecky will be remembered not only for her considerable achievements but also for her enduring commitment to improving the health and well-being of all Washingtonians.